Device for use in making threads



March 13, 1934. E. A. MURPHY ET AL DEVICE FOR USE IN MAKING THREADS Filed Dec. 23, 1931 mvsm'om fl a Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITE STATES PATENT oFFicE DEVICE FUR USE IN MAKING THREADS Edward Arthur Murphy and Walter George Gorham, Erdington,

Birmingham, England, as-

signors to Dnnlop Rubber Company, Limited, Erdmgton, Birmingham, England Application December 23, 1931, Serial No. 582,687 In Great Britain January 1, 1931 Claims.

1 1 ing unit or unit and provides the following advantages in the particular operation referred to above.

The manufacture of rubber threads by a continuous process commonly includes an operation such as a setting operation wherein one or more of threads are puhed along or adjacent to the surface of a fluid contained in a bath or tank,

Such a tank may be used for either or both dehydrating and setting.

Where the specific gravity of the setting and/ or dehydrating solution is greater than that of the threads, as is the case in the process described and claimed in the specification of Patent No. 1,887,190 of November 8, 1932, the threads are carried along upon or just beneath the surface of the liquid in the tank.

The threads are then liable to be drawn together by surface tension effects to such an extent as actually to contact one another, such movements causing deformation and possibly interruption of the continuity of the process and of the threads. The surface tension effects also tend to pull the threads to the side of the vessel, or to the dividing partitions where such are used.

Where the threads are drawn along a common fluid path between groups of finger type separators disposed in transverse groups at intervals, it is difficult to examine or to manipulate one of the threads without disturbing or causing deviation among those adjacent, the deviation resulting in variations in thickness. Moreover the bridges above the fluid which support such separators have to be raised or removed if and when, one or more of the threads have to be led for some distance from the devices where they are formed to the conveyor by which they are drawn away, as, for instance, when all the threads are being started and led down the fluid containing bath to the opposite end.

It is also found that a broken thread tends to coil around a separator of the finger type and tends to encroach upon the space of its neighbour to which it is liable to adhere. But the use of continuous walls separating each thread has also 55 not been found to be successful in eliminating deviation, the threads having a tendency to sway towards and even drag against the wall on the one side or on the other, the deviation resulting in threads of uneven diameter and consequently of uneven strength due to the variation 9 in cross section.

We have also found that the attractive effect of continuous walls is increased to a noticeable degree when these are not made of substances which are not electrically and chemically inert to 5 the particular setting solution employed and we therefore prefer to use relatively light and vitreone material such as porcelain or glass.

By the present invention the lateral pull on the threads due to attraction to or contact with two 7 continuous walls between the paths is entirely obviated, but without depriving each thread of a separate path whereby independent manipulation of each thread is obtainable without disturbance of those adjacent, a further characteristic being 7 5 the provision of a passage for the setting or other fluid medium in the bath to circulate transversely between the paths but in such a manner that fiuid disturbances in one path do not directly affect, the layer in which the threads are moved in the adjacent path on either side.

The above advantages are attained by our in- Vention without sacrificing the individual accessibility of the threads, which, in the preferred form of this invention, may be lifted out together L5 or individually over the whole or a part of the length of the bath. This is economical of time and facilitates starting operations since the ends of the threads may be twisted together at the start from the thread forming orifices and may be carried in one uninterrupted movement to the remote end of the bath.

According to this invention the thread forming processes wherein the threads are formed from natural or artificial aqueous dispersions of rubber and in which the threads are confined to predetermined paths in spaced relation, we use separating means between the threads having a wall or walls provided at intervals with projec- 1,100 tions or buttresses rising to the surface from below it, preferably wherein the projections or buttresses project from a wall which is continuous adjacent the surface of the liquid, and is discontinuous adjacent its base, the projections from the walls defining parallel paths and being attached to or form part of a common foundation.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and more readily carried into effect, 410

the same will now be described more fully with reference to the enclosed drawing in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a setting bath having the preferred separating means in unit form.

Fig. 2 is a part perspective view of forms of detachable buttresses and Fig. 3 is a part perspective View of an alternative form of separator in which the walls are inclined to form the buttresses.

The separating means may be formed in one continuous length or in short lengths or units placed end to end.

Each unit may comprise two walls or may alternatively comprise one wall only, a base being preferably attached to give stability.

In the forms shown the unit consists of a flat base 1 of vitreous material such as porcelain from which rise one or more walls 2 the number depending on whether a solid or a built up unit is preferred.

In the latter case the base may be divided at 3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the division also permitting some relatively lateral displacement of the opposing faces should this be found desirable.

The walls 2 are formed with buttresses 4, the substantially vertical edges of which are rounded or of triangular section.

In Fig. 2 the projecting surfaces are formed by detachable inverted letter U shaped members the bridge portion 5 of which spans the path of the thread, or preferably spans the wall 2 so as not to necessitate removal when the thread is raised.

The buttresses may be recessed into grooves 6 as shown, or into holes in the base so that an accidental fall is prevented.

The other removable type of buttress, however, which rides on one wall need not be so positioned and may therefore be traversed along the wall, and has not to be lifted up to remove the thread.

The lower half of each wall is apertured with square or other openings 7 forming channels permitting liquid circulation between the various channels between each pair of walls, the upper parts of the walls being continuous so that while fluid may be displaced and travel from one path to another the surface disturbance is confined to one path and is not communicated to adjacent threads.

In Fig. 1 the separating means are shown as positioned in a setting bath 8 filled with a setting fluid 9 into which the jets of aqueous dispersion are projected through nozzles, not shown, to form separate threads or filaments 10. The jets are below the surface of the setting liquid but, being lighter than the liquid, rise to the top and float at the surface between the abutments 4. They are withdrawn from the opposite end of the bath on an endless conveyor of any suitable type consisting, for instance, of slats 11 carried on endless belts 12 passing over pulleys 13 submerged in the bath, the conveyor rising above the surface of the bath beyond the pulleys 13.

The invention may be used in conjunction with the process and apparatus claimed in the specification of Patent No. 1,887,190, but is not limited thereto.

What we claim is-- 1. Apparatus for forming threads in a liquid medium which comprises a bath in which said threads are supported and conveyed and spaced separating means having wall surfaces provided with sidewise upright projections intersecting the surface of said bath at spaced intervals on alternate sides of the thread.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the projections or buttresses project from a wall which is continuous adjacent the surface of the liquid.

3. Separating means according to claim 1 wherein the wall is discontinuous adjacent its base. I

4. Separating means according to claim 1 in which the projections from the walls define para.- lel paths.

,5. Separating means according to claim 1 in which the walls are attached to or form part of a common foundation.

6. Separating means according to claim 1 in which the projections are removably positioned upon one of the surfaces of a wall.

'7. Separating means according to claim 1 wherein the projections are independent of the wall and are provided with U shaped members connecting a pair of projections and holding them against their respective wall surfaces.

8. Separating means for fluid thread conveyor baths having spaced upright wall surfaces formed of intersecting angular parallel surfaces.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which passages for the liquid are provided through the separating means.

10. Spacing means for guiding threads in a liquid medium which comprises a pair of spaced walls and projections from said walls at a liquid level into the space between said walls, said projections being spaced longitudinally at alternate intervals in the length of the passage between said walls.

EDWARD ARTHUR MURPHY. WALTER GEORGE GORHAM. 

